GOSHEN BOARD OF FINANCE
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
NOVEMBER 18, 2009
CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Allan D. Walker called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.
ATTENDANCE: Allan D. Walker, John D. Garvey, Donald Pardon, James Korner, Scott Tillmann, Ned Bixler and alternates Wilrose Duquette and Dexter Kinsella. Robert Valentine arrived at 7:45 P.M.
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN & VICE CHAIRMAN: The Chair turned the handling of the election over to Clerk Joan Lang. A MOTION WAS MADE BY John D. Garvey, seconded by Donald Pardon to elect Allan D. Walker as Chairman of the Goshen Board of Finance for a two year term. No discussion, SO VOTED. Allan D. Walker was elected to serve a two year term as Chairman of the Goshen Board of Finance with said term to expire November 2011.
ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN: A MOTION WAS MADE BY Allan D. Walker seconded by James Korner to elect John D. Garvey to serve as Vice Chairman of the Board of Finance for a two year term. No discussion, SO VOTED. John D. Garvey was elected to serve a two year term as Vice Chairman of the Goshen Board of Finance with said term to expire November 2011.
The Board expressed their appreciation to Allan Walker for his dedicated hard work in serving on and chairing the Goshen Board of Finance. The Chair was turned back to Chairman Allan D. Walker. Dexter Kinsella arrived at 7:35 P.M.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the October 28, 2009 Board of Finance Meeting were presented for approval. A MOTION WAS MADE BY James Korner seconded by Ned Bixler to approve the minutes of the 10/28/2009 meeting. Noted for correction, Page 1, last Para., third sentence add a (y) to the word read. Page 2, Para. 2, first sentence correct the date to read (Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2009.) Page 2, Para. 4, third sentence, add the word Meeting after the word Town. Page 3, Para.7, fifth sentence the letters HAS should read HSA (Health Savings Account) There were no other corrections noted. The minutes were APPROVED as
amended. Donald Pardon abstained from voting.
BOARD OF FINANCE 2010 MEETING SCHEDULE: The 2010 meeting schedule was presented for review by the Board. The Board was in agreement that the meetings continue to be held at 7:30 P.M. on the fourth Wednesday of each month with the exceptions of May, November and December when they would be held on the third Wednesday. The Clerk would file the Board approved meeting schedule with the Town Clerk and provide a copy of the meeting schedule to each of the Board members. Presented to the Board for updating was the e-mail listing for each of the Board Members. Clerk Joan Lang would make any changes to the addresses and provide the Board members with an updated list.
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Brought to the attention of the Board was the Memo from the First Selectman regarding the Freedom of Information (FOI) regulations and the importance of Boards, Commissions and Commission Clerks to be in compliance with the FOI regulations as they apply to meetings and agendas. Noted were the dates for the Town Meetings and Public Hearing on the budget.
Budget/Financial Reports for the period ending October 31, 2009: The Tax Collectors report was presented for review. Said report from the Tax Collector showed a collection rate of 59.69% vs. 55.06% for the same period last year. Chairman Allan Walker noted that Launa Goslee continues to do an excellent job in the collection of taxes and that she had been reappointed as Town Tax Collector by the Selectman at their Tuesday Nov. 17th meeting. There was no other discussion on the Tax Collectors report. A MOTION WAS MADE BY John D. Garvey seconded by James Korner to accept the Tax Collectors Report, SO VOTED.
First Selectman Robert Valentine arrived at 7:45 P.M.
Noted under the Budget Report: The Revenue received to date for Building Official Fees is 41.64%, which is a result of current increase in building activity. Also noted was the 73.41% collected to date for interest and lien fees which reflect the good work being done by the Tax Collector in the collection of back taxes. Robert Valentine added to the comments under expenses the fact that the Cemeteries expense is currently at 96.8% expended for the current fiscal year and with the fall and spring cleanup work remaining to be done that line item will be over budget for 2009/2010. Robert Valentine report that he would be meeting with the Cemetery Committee to review the expenses to date and see what can be done to lower the maintenance expense. Robert Valentine reported that he had reviewed all the line items in the
Town Budget and that he would be meeting with every department to review line items that are pushing the high side of expenditures.
Chairman Allan Walker noted that at the Nov. 16th Town meeting it was voted to renew the Selectmen’s slush fund. Based on the State deficit it remains unknown what the Town will actually be receiving from the State.
There was no further discussion on Town Financials. A MOTION WAS MADE BY John D. Garvey seconded by Scott Tillmann to accept the October Budget report. SO VOTED.
REPORT FROM THE FIRST SELECTMAN: The Region 6 Student ADM numbers as of October 1, 2009 show an increase of 1.09% for Goshen. The increase is due to a fluctuation in the student population for Warren and Morris and not on an increase in student population for Goshen. Relative to the Region 6 2010/2011 Budget it was noted that the Region 6 Superintendent is working hard to bring in a proposed budget of 1% or less from current budget. Looking at a 1% increase, the assessment for the Town of Goshen would range from $120,000.00 to
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to $124,000.00 for 10/11. It was noted that Region 6 Supt. Craig Drezak is planning to be in attendance at the December Goshen B of F Meeting.
Robert Valentine noted that Public Works is working to resolve the issue of being able to provide winter sand for Goshen residents while being able to prevent Torrington residents of taking advantage of access to the sand that is provided for Goshen residents.
Robert Valentine shared with the Finance Board an e-mail received from Barnett Laschever suggesting that based on the financial health of the Town and based on the fact that Library Employees did not receive raises for 2009/2010 that consideration be given to give bonuses to Library Employees. Robert Valentine reported that he e-mailed Barnett Laschever back informing him that although the finances of the Town at this time are good, we have not finished this fiscal year. The economy is not rebounding and looking ahead to 2010/2011 any buffer the Town has could be needed to meet future budget expenses for the next two years.
Robert Valentine noted that he also expressed his appreciation to the Library employees as well as all Town employees for all the hard work they are doing.
Presented to the Board was a request from the Selectmen for Board of Finance approval for the Town to participate in the formation of a Central Connecticut Solid Waste Authority. Robert Valentine reported that a large portion of the work to form the Authority has been done by the Municipalities of the Hartford Council of Governments. The preliminary work to form such an Authority is being funded by contributions from each Municipality who wishes to become part of the Authority. The cost to the Town would be $500.00 to join. What membership in this Authority would do is give the Town another option if in 2012 the Town should decide not to continue with CRRA. A map showing the number of municipalities that are current members as well as those municipalities committed to join was reviewed by the Board. It was not knows at
this time if there would be an annual membership fee. Further discussion, noted such an Authority would open the door for participating Municipalities to explore an option to what CRRA is offering.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY John D. Garvey seconded by Ned Bixler to appropriate $500.00 from Capital Non-Recurring for the Town to participate in the exploration of the formation of the Central Connecticut Solid Waste Authority. A brief discussion on the motion noted additional benefits to participating Towns. No further discussion, MOTION CARRIED.
Noted with appreciation was the replacement of the florescent light bulbs in the overhead lights in the Conference Room.
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There was no other business to come before said meeting. A MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY James Korner seconded by Ned Bixler. The meeting adjourned at 8:06 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
GOSHEN BOARD OF FINANCE
Joan M. Lang, Board Clerk
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